A 19-year-old Roanoke woman is suing her former foster parents, claiming they left her unsupervised in their home with a pit bull that attacked her when she was 16.

The foster parents should have known that the dog -- named Corrupt -- was dangerous, according to a lawsuit filed this week by Erica King in Roanoke Circuit Court.

King is seeking $850,000 in damages from Nathan and Mary Preston, who were providing foster care to her in their Northwest Roanoke home at the time of the incident.

In November 2005, King and two other children were left unsupervised in the house with the dog, according to the lawsuit. The dog attacked King, causing serious injuries to her foot, leg, arms, torso, neck and face.

King was treated at a hospital and suffers permanent scars from the attack, according to Peter Katt, the Roanoke lawyer who filed the lawsuit.

After the attack, the Prestons kept their dog in the home with King, adding to her mental anguish, the suit alleges.

"It's extremely unfortunate that a young girl had to go through something like this," Katt said.

The suit seeks $500,000 in compensatory damages and another $350,000 in punitive damages.

Mary Preston acknowledged Friday that King was attacked by the dog but said the girl provoked the animal by throwing rubbing alcohol in its face.

An investigation by animal control officers never led to charges, Preston said, and the Department of Social Services determined it was appropriate for King to remain in the house after the incident.